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LOST IN SPACE-ONE OF OUR DOGS IS MISSING
ONE OF OUR DOGS IS MISSING WRITER-WILLIAM WELCH DIR-SUTTON ROLEY TEASER-not fully recapped-different version---missing dialogue Chariot and start it up and pull away amid goodbyes from the females. We hear Chariot music as it passes a big rock. Judy tells Smith that Don didn't mean what he said (what? yes he did). Smith tells her he can forgive him. For night watch, Smith starts three four-hour shifts and almost includes Penny but then stops short of that--having just two six hour shifts--one of Maureen and one for Judy. Dopey Maureen lets him get away with this by saying, "Alright. C'mon." She and Smith follow the girls into the ship. Maureen's an idiot here. And there's worse to follow. Night: Chariot plows onward; John writes some notes; and Don tells him he is worried about leaving Smith back at the spaceship. John says, "Knowing Maureen, I'm sure she can handle him." Don frowns, turning his eyes out the side window. John asks Will to turn on the Robot to feed him some data. Will turns it on and we see an extreme ZOOM IN on Robot (a zoom which wasn't seen in the previous episode's cliffhanger). The Robot warns, "Danger. Danger. Danger." At first, they see nothing but then Don stops the Chariot. We hear music from STOWAWAY. A meteor storm hits. Flashes pass down. Chariot shakes and smokes. John asks Will if he is all right. Will yells, almost sounding embarrassed, "I'm alright!" Meteors crash down and create sparks and fires. One seems to fly right at the Chariot (end of cliffhanger). The meteor passing the Chariot just flies on by. Judy calls Maureen over to the Jupiter II radar. Smith is laying across two chairs in the Control Room. Maureen passes with something in her hand--a mop? A broom? They see hundreds of things dropping; Judy concerned that is the area where the Chariot is. John tells Don, "Head for those rocks over there." Maureen calls and the ship shakes, throwing Penny down, Judy aside, and sending Smith reeling into the corner of the control panel by the viewport, "I knew it--DOOMSDAY!" As this happens, Maureen calls "Jupiter II to Chariot, John can you hear me!" frantically over and over and sounding like one of the Chipmunks group. ACT ONE Same night: it is quiet outside the spaceship now. Maureen keeps calling but Smith stops her and they stand up. Smith tells Maureen she is deluding herself not telling her brood what the truth is. Judy says, "Suppose you tell us what the truth is, Dr. Smith." He believes the rain of meteors to be a rocket barrage. Maureen asks, "What's going on in that devious mind of yours?" Smith says, "It is clear to me." Judy says, "I'll tell you what's clear to me." Maureen stops her as Smith goes on to tell that it is a prelude to invasion and one that will happen soon. "Who knows what dreadful creatures inhabit the reaches of this galaxy?" Judy asks Maureen if this could be true. Maureen denies it but Smith says, "Undoubtedly your menfolk are already prisoners." Judy says, "Why do you even have to think things like that?" Maureen challenges Smith and tells them that in the morning she is going to go over into the next valley and prove the Chariot wasn't hit. Maureen tells him they will all go. Judy says, "And she does mean all." Morning: overhead of meteor craters and the women, Penny, and Smith stand around it. Smith calls it a shell hole. John is called by Maureen. John tells her, "Maureen, I wish you wouldn't wander too far from the ship. It isn't safe when we're not there." He tells her they can't use the radio since they will be making some repairs (what? why not?). He says, "That's my girl" to her and then, "Take care of MY girls and especially take care of yourself." Penny finds a freshly wrecked small spacecraft. In it is an oxygen release valve. Smith says, "Somewhere in these trackless wastes an invader is hiding and waiting for the proper time to strike us all down." They leave the area and a monster sound is heard coming from a crater. Smith finds a trail of food cans. Someone raided the spaceship--well, the door was left open (mistake number one for dopey Maureen). The galley was looted and Smith found a ham gone. Night, Maureen and Judy activate the forcefield and worry. Judy tests it by throwing a rock. Smith is locked in his cabin. Judy says, "For once I don't blame him." Maureen tells her that with the forcefield on, nothing can approach the ship. She adds, "We've got to prove we can take care of ourselves until the men get back." Later that night, they hear an unearthly howling. Maureen, her hair let down and long, comes out of her cabin; Judy and Penny come out of one cabin; and Smith comes out--having taken the guns. They hear a growl. Smith is wearing a long robe and a night cap on. Maureen takes the girls back into her cabin. Morning: Maureen and Judy walk and stop near a rock and tree. Maureen gives Judy some water; Judy finds some fur on the tree. They discuss the noises last night. Maureen says, "Well, there are animals and there are animals but I've never seen anything like that here." She says they are behaving like helpless females. Yep. Judy looks around, wondering if Dr. Smith is right and asks Maureen if Smith could be right about an invasion. Maureen says, "I don't know." They will examine the fur. A boulder falls off a large hilly rock area just ahead of them. They aim their laser guns but see it is just a small dog--labrador perhaps or maybe part beagle. Maureen goes to him and gets him off the rock ledge. They leave and pass a crater. A monster comes up from the crater amid sand and smoke; its back is to us and it looks effectively scary--at least that way. ACT TWO Judy and Maureen garden; Penny plays with the dog and asks to keep it, "Daddy will say so if you do." Maureen tells her they will see. Judy and Maureen think the howling was the dog but not the other sound. Maureen says, "Welp, if this were one of those space dogs, he'd be close to 50 years old now." Penny feeds the dog and then goes to get him water as the other two helpless females go inside. Smith thinks the dog is an alien when the dog barks and sits up. He watches Penny and the dog, hiding behind the force field. Judy looks at the fur through the microscope and worries--it is not from the dog. Maureen finds John's notes on possible inhabitants of this planet. Priority A notes say this: John's notes (in Guy's voice): My greatest concern for our safety is the possibility of encountering mutants, creatures with on exact counterpart in nature--the giants are probably one form of mutant. I fear there may be others. They seem to grow and evolve through a process of metamorphosis, taking new forms by absorbing all types of organic matter. Now, if this wild theory is true--any mutant we encounter, may try to absorb one of us. Judy asks, "Why didn't dad tell us about this?" Maureen gives her reasons for that. She tells Judy that as long as the forcefield is turned on, nothing can get us. The forcefield is not working they realize as they check it. The power unit is out--they should never have left it on so long without recharging it (Maureen-helpless female mistake number two). It will take 24 hours to recharge. The two women go into the ship to go get it. Penny plays stick fetching with the dog and the stick lands near Judy's laser gun--which is just lying around (Judy mistake number one or helpless mistake number three). The dog takes the gun, making Smith put up his hands to surrender. When the dog runs off and Smith pretends he is exercising, Penny says, "Dr. Smith, when will you stop being so silly?" Cancellation. As the dog digs a hole for the gun, Penny looks for him. Maureen and Judy bring out the recharger (the same device used in THE RAFT as the power register). As Penny calls for the dog, the monster, furry and having two horns coming out of his head, listens to her. At one point we can see Penny's mouth move but she doesn't say anything-- FLUB obviously--no sound came out as she called once. Penny is blamed by Judy for taking her gun but she tells them she didn't. Dad told her and Will never to touch the guns without permission. Maureen lets her go off to try to find the dog (mistake number four). When Penny leaves, Maureen says, "Judy, you've got to find that gun." Maureen finds Smith has disassembled all their guns. On the lower deck, Smith pulls Maureen's gun and she chases him for it. He wants to use it to be able to put the guns back together. He takes it apart. Smith asks her if she thinks him a fumble finger and she says, "Frankly yes." Maureen tells him, "You've left us completely without weapons." Judy comes down--she can't find the gun. Smith tells her the dog took it--he is an alien. Maureen cannot assemble the guns--Smith tells her she is devoid of mechanical aptitude. They walk away. The monster's face is at the lower deck window and it opens the viewport some more and roars, looking into the lower galley. NOTE: How was it able to open those doors? Also--aren't there manuals on putting lasers back together? ACT THREE It is difficult to hear but it is either heading toward night or is the next day. Penny says something to dog once she finds him--something like "I was worried all night" or "I would have been worried all night"---so it is difficult to know if a night went by or not. It appears to be dawn, not dusk but...oh well...Before Penny finds the dog, the monster tracks her among the close-rocky area. She finds the dog but it nips her since it sees and senses the monster nearby. It runs off. Lower Deck: Maureen and Judy hear a beep and it is John calling. Judy says, "Tell him to hurry back." Will rigged a makeshift generator since they are still working on the transistor. John says Will is "a little mechanical genius on their hands." He tells her about the relay idea and adds, "I am glad I married a girl like you--at least I don't have to worry about the home front." He asks if anything is wrong, then tells her he is "proud of her." They have to break off. Judy tells Maureen, "You didn't tell him." (Maureen mistake number five--six if you count that she cannot assemble the guns). In Chariot, Will says, "Phew. What a workout." John wasn't sure he liked the sound of Maureen's voice. Don tells him she would have said something if anything was wrong and everything is okay. Even so, John orders, "Don, turn around--we're going back." Penny goes into the Control Room, still alive despite having a stupid mother. She tells Maureen and Judy about the dog being lost. Maureen looks at Judy, making a patronize Penny face. Maureen goes down the elevator. Smith comes half up the ladder and talks to the girls. The dog is a spy going to report on how weak they are. He claims their time is short and goes down. Penny says, "I bet it was Dr. Smith who scared him away." Penny, despite mom's requests not to, wants to go out. Judy tells her to stay here--she will go out (female mistake number seven). Judy goes out--and leaves the door wide open (mistake number eight). Maureen, below deck, cannot put one gun together, "Dr. Smith--I could just throttle you!" Penny sees the arrival of the Chariot (Cor! That was fast!). Penny comes down on the ladder, "Mom! Mom, Dad, Will, and Don--they're back!" Now we can live again. They have a joyous reunion, hugs and all in the Control Room. If you watch closely, Penny's question about their relay mission and Don's no answer are both dubbed over the visuals. Don asks about where Judy is. Penny tells them she went out. "We found this dog and it wandered off." Maureen asks, "And she went out to look for it?" Penny says, "Yes." John asks, "What's wrong?" Don asks, "Is Judy in danger?" Maureen says, "Yes, there's been something out there. We haven't seen it..." Don and John go out, calling Judy. Smith looks evil for some reason--is he liking this? Judy calls for the dog and is unaware the monster is following her. Don finds Judy's footprints and the monster (who actually resembles a large dog-man) footprints. Smith talks to the Robot outside the ship, "My myopic friends have come to their senses." Robot suggests the forming of a posse to Dr. Smith and reminds him, "Only one male remains at your disposal." Smith goes down to the lower deck to Will, who is putting the laser guns back together again. Smith tells him it was a test--he could have done it and calls Will delightfully gifted, "I always thought of you as the most outstanding of all the Robinsons you are the most talented." He cons Will, then deputizes him and the Robot. Will questions the mission, "Kill the dog?" Judy calls for the dog outside. The monster roars. Judy hears it this time and looks back. She sees it is behind trees, so she runs. Judy runs past rocks and trees, and gasps. This is a nice tracking and travel shot as it chases her. ACT FOUR Overhead shot of Don and John as they pick up the trail again. Judy runs to a rock wall and climbs up, tossing rocks at the monster. There is a nice medley from this music to the music as John and Don search. They see Penny's dog and follow him. Robot, Smith, and Will hear the dog. Control Room: Maureen and Penny discuss how Robot, Smith, and Will got out of the ship. Penny thought Will was in Smith's cabin. Maureen sums up herself quite nicely, "You know I really made a fine mess of things--all I had to do was make sure none of them left the ship." Penny offers to go look but Maureen sits her down where she can see her. Judy gasps as the monster comes up the rock cliffside at her. The dog jumps out and the monster jumps down to get him. Judy seems to pass out (or playing dead?). (mistake number nine). The dog runs; the monster surprises John and knocks him down unconscious. Don has a gun but hasn't taken it out or something--he runs to the side, away from the monster and through some plants. The monster returns to Judy who drops rocks on him, the girl saying, "Get away," several times. Don has made his way up the other side of the curved rock cliffside adjoining the one Judy is on. Judy sees him and reaches out for him, "Don! Don, thank God!" He carries her over the ridge but falls, causing them both to tumble and roll over the ridge to the ground. The monster dogman stands above and over them but John shoots his laser at it and it falls next to the couple. Robot tells Smith and Will he has lost audio evidence but picks up olfactory evidence like a bloodhound. The other three recover--Don and John touch and hug Judy profusely. Judy insists they find the find--he saved her. John says, "If that's the way you want it, then that's the way it's gonna be." They leave. Smith sends out a patrol---Will and tells him to shoot questions first and ask questions later. The monster gets up and roars--if you look closely you can see the bare neck of the actor--Dawson Palmer--as it raises its head upward in a roar. Judy sits and rests, "None of us could understand how the dog could've lived so long in space--that's why Dr. Smith thought he was some kind of an alien." John says, "He must've been part of one of those early experiments in suspended animation--the freezing tube broke when the capsule crashed." He doesn't want to spend too much time looking for him (mom will be worried--I say, let her worry) but John relents to a little longer. They are unaware the dog mutant is tracking them. Will finds the real dog and cannot shoot it. He plays with the puppy. Judy, Don, and John find Will and then see Smith who says, "As I have said many times never fear Smith is here." Will says, "He's not an alien--he's a puppy-a real puppy and I love him." John verifies this. Smith says, "He's a spy, a real spy." As they talk, the monster sneaks from rock to rock, sneaking up on them. The dog barks a warning as the creature gets up on the rock they are near. It comes over and jumps John down. Don moves Judy to a flat rock as the monster knocks John out and is on top of him. Don pulls it off. The real dog gets John's fallen laser gun to Will. The monster knocks Don out and makes for Judy. Will shoots it and it runs behind the rock. Will wakes John up. Judy is down and hiding, "Oh Don, Oh Don!" OH BOY. Don goes to her as John continues shooting the monster. He shoots but as we see the light on top the gun go off---there is no laser ray effect added in, making it seem strange that the monster goes into the crater---probably dead. NOTE: Why couldn't the Robot blast it with his continuous electrical charges? CLIFFHANGER-Judy and John (John in his T-shirt) are the drill site. Judy has a radioactive counter which reads 8.4 to 9.7--the richest vein they've found yet. Judy rushes, "Oh, I'll go tell the others." John tells her to tell her mother to pack a lunch for "us" ---they will be there all day. Smith, with his parka on, sits on a rock near a device. Writing, John tells him they need four more canisters of fuel. The machine does not make deutronium, it merely refines and concentrates radioactive ore. Smith is eager to get off this "wretched planet" and goes on, "...in no time at all we'll be off into the heavens, an infinitely better people for our ordeal, conditioned to survive in any kind of environment, toughened by our encounters with alien life forms...immune to..." Smith gasps as he sees the vine move around and strangle hold John's ankle and foot. The vine drags John into a pit of sand and John starts to sink. Smith yells for help. John yells for Smith to give him his hand but Smith won't help. John reaches back for something to hold onto. TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK SAME TIME SAME CHANNEL REVIEW: William Welch usually writes wonderful tales. Perhaps he didn't know the Robinsons all that well when he wrote this. John treats Maureen like an object that he married so he wouldn't have to worry about the home front. Oh, and the girls are MY girls. Maureen acts totally incompetent--she was supposed to be some sort of scientist in biochemistry (in the unaired pilotS she was supposed to be from the New Mexico College of Space Medicine). Her many mistakes this episode are listed above. Judy loses her gun. Judy screams which is fine but faints, too--she's seen alien monsters before. Penny, despite her mother's warnings is about to go outside with not a thought to her mother's warnings. Will, being a male can naturally fix the radio and the guns--in fact, he's somewhat more helpful than Maureen, Penny, Judy, and Smith put together. Separating the cast is a good plot idea and would be used again with better results for the characters' dignity. The mutant idea is a nice touch and follows with THERE WERE GIANTS IN THE EARTH. What I don't get is how the dog and the capsule and the monster are linked together. One might think there was another dog which was absorbed by the monster mutant and then it became more like a dog man. One might even think it just ate some of the dog's hair and maybe was formed...or maybe it was just something else entirely. It is never developed beyond John's note--theory. John Peel's majorly unfair (and very error filled) FILES on LOST IN SPACE claims it took the Chariot two days to travel for the antenna planting and only less than a half hour to return--well, they were setting up a relay system so could have been closer by the time John realized something was wrong (leaving Maureen alone and in charge is not a good idea). With all the male chauvinism that runs throughout this episode (and a few others, too) it is not difficult to see why LOST IN SPACE may not have many female fans. This episode was a favorite of many children--it has a monster and it has a lot of action, at least at the fourth act and for once, Judy has some of the action happen to her. Hey, it happens again over three years--see or rather don't see--VISIT TO HADES and SPACE BEAUTY. The only real time Marta really had a meaty part on the series was when she wasn't even Judy in...